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Hey WordPress :) I read Mark 9:36-41 today. I think the clear resounding call in this section is that there is power in the name of Jesus and that His name turns society upside down.

Context

This comes in the context from the verses before this section where Jesus rebukes them about wanting to be the greatest saying “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and servant of all.” It seems that His disciples have begun believing they have status because they are Jesus’ disciples. They think they’re the awesome ones instead of the awesome One they belong to. Jesus I think tries to reveal this to them in showing them 3 examples.

1) Children

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the One who sent me.”

– Mark 9:37

I think Jesus uses the example of children here because children aren’t seen super highly in society. They’re inexperienced, learning and definitely haven’t earned their respect yet. But Jesus here says that welcoming them in His name is welcoming Him and welcoming the One who sent Jesus, who is God the Father. When you want to be the greatest or the “first” you have to be the “very last, and the servant of all.” And the ‘lowest’ of all are these children.

2) Casting out Demons

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in Your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.”

– Mark 9:39-40

The disciples here are trying to stop some dude casting out demons because “he was not one of us.” I think this is helping us understand the heart of the disciples. The key reason is because that person is not of them. I think it alludes to the disciples thinking they have some sort of status because they’re “The Twelve Special Disciples that Jesus has chosen.” I think they’ve begun to forget that they’re not the special ones but instead they’re chosen by The Special One.

3) Cup of Water

“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name
because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”

– Mark 9:41

Giving a cup of water isn’t really a hard task. Anyone can do it. It’s not a glorious, strenuous or impressive task. But Jesus says that if they do that ‘small task’ for His people “will certainly not lose his reward.” Which is an insane thing to say. If you’re looking by an employment job standard, this makes no sense, you’re securing someone eternal life because you’ve seen them give a cup of water to someone. It’s a bit insane. Jesus is absolutely honing down on the disciples false understanding of their ‘status’ and smashing it to bits.

Application

The disciples have been rebuked by Jesus in these 3 different situations:

Children | the lowest/least of societyCasting out Demons | not part of the #ExclusiveJesusDiscipleGroupCup of Water | the simplest and easiest task

Tying them all together is doing them “in Jesus name,” because it’s Jesus’ name that causes you to:

Welcome children – the least in society

Drive out demons – because Jesus’ name has power not the special disciple group

Give cups of water – because you’re serving those who belong to Jesus Jesus’ name turns society on it’s head regardless of how ‘great’ you are, what your ‘status’ is or how ‘simple’ your task is.

The ways that I want to begin applying these truths into my life is to:

Welcome the least | I struggle to welcome those who are elitists and those who persecute the church openly. Will I love and welcome those who I see to be the “least in society” in Jesus name?

Not take status in belonging to Jesus | I cannot take any societal status for being a Christian, for working in ministry, or being in a particular denomination/having a certain theological belief. Will I unify and love those in the church who I see as having a “lesser status than me” in Jesus name?

Take tasks big and small for Jesus | It matters not how ‘big’ or how ‘small’ the task I’m doing for the Jesus is. I want to do everything all in the name of Jesus for His glory not myself. Will I strive to bless and support those who belong to Jesus financially, prayerfully and lovingly in Jesus name?

For there most definitely is power in the name of Jesus. A power that turns society and our pride upside down. Let us look to our Saviour who was the Last and Servant of All.

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Just wanted to share a few quotes and encouragement from a sermon that John Piper gave on the life of Charles Simeon, definitely worth a listen :

“My dear brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ’s sake. When I am getting through a hedge, if my head and shoulders are safely through, I can bare the pricking of my legs. Let us rejoice in the remembrance that our Holy Head has surmounted all His suffering, and triumphed over death, let us follow Him patiently, we shall soon be partakes of His victory.”

Charles Simeon talking about the days when the pews were locked, and people were standing and there couldn’t be a big crowd because you can’t fit too many in the aisles and the edges :

“In this state of thing I saw no remedy but faith and patience. The passage of scripture which subdued and controlled my mind was this : The servant of the Lord must not strive. It was painful indeed to the church with the exception of the aisles, almost forsaken. But I thought that if only God would give a double blessing to the congregation that did attend, there would, on the whole, be as much good done as if the congregation were doubled and the blessing limited to only half the amount. This comforted me many many times, when without such a reflection I would have sunk under my burden.”

“He grew downward in humiliation and grew upward in adoration of Christ.”

“He did not think it was helpful or inappropriate to get rid of feelings of vileness or unworthiness as soon as he could. For him adoration grew in the freshly plowed soil of humiliation. Adoration grew best, and tallest, and strongest in the freshly plowed soil.”

“I have continually had such a sense of my sinfulness as would sink me to utter despair, if I had not an assured view of the sufficiency and willingness of Christ to save me to the uttermost.”

“With this sweet hope of ultimate acceptance with God, I have always enjoyed much cheerfulness before man, but I at the same time I have labored incessantly to cultivate the greatest humiliation before God. I have never thought that the circumstance of God having forgiven me, was any reason why I should forgive myself. On the contrary I have always judged it better to loathe myself the more in proportion as I was assured of God being pacified towards me. Ezekiel 16:63. Therefore there are but two objects that I have ever desired for these 40 years to behold. One is my own vileness. The other is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And I have always thought that they should be viewed together, just as Aaron confessed all the sins of Israel while he put them on the scapegoat. The disease did not keep him from applying to the remedy, nor did the remedy keep him from feeling the disease. By this I think not only to be humbled AND thankful but to be humbled IN thankfulness.”

The scripture system : “Brokenness of heart is the key to the whole bible.”

“Repentance is in every view so desirable, so necessary, so suited to honor God. That I seek that above all. The tender heart, the broken contrite spirit are to me far above all the joys than I could ever hope for in this veil of tears. I long to be in my proper place, my hand upon my mouth and my mouth in the dust. I feel this is safe ground. Here I cannot err. I’m sure that whatever God may despise He will not despise a broken and contrite heart.”